ennobling properties of war

[Alfred001]

I was listening to Steven Pinker's talk about the decline of violence and he mentions this idea which he says was popular up until about 100 years ago that war was ennobling and drew out the best of men etc. and God forbid we should not have war we would all become feminine selfish consumerists, or something along those lines.

 

Could someone tell me who wrote about such ideas?